St Philip’s Marsh is a fairly barren suburb of Bristol. There’s not much housing, hardly any shops, and it’s dominated by industrial estates. But for those in the know, it is also the burgeoning capital of Bristol’s independent breweries – filling the air with hops instead of petrol and playing a large role in the speedy redevelopment of the area.
For the August Bank Holiday weekend (27 & 28), eight of the area’s most highly respected breweries will open their taproom bars for the East Bristol Brewery Trail. Visitors that hit the crawl will taste a delectable sampling of beers, as well as get the opportunity to talk to the local brewers about their practices or to just have a good old chinwag.
It’s the first time the event has taken place since the pandemic, having first started in 2016, and we’re excited to have it back. The trail has been run by Arbor Ales, Dawkins Ales, Good Chemistry Brewing, Wiper & True, Left Handed Giant Brewing Co. and Moor Beer since then. But this year, two brand new breweries – Little Martha Brewing and Newtown Park Brewing Co. – have been added to the route. All the breweries are a short walk from each other, if you’re worried about suffering from ‘sea legs’. So it’s a great occasion to cram in a sampling of the best beer Bristol has to offer.
The East Bristol Brewery Trail is centred around the start of the Bristol and Bath cycle path, near Lawrence Hill station and only ten minutes from Temple Meads. It starts at Arbor Ales on Easton Road and snakes all the way over to Moor Beer on Days Road. Although this is just a guide and you tackle the route whichever way you want.
If you can’t make it down that bank holiday weekend, however, no need to fret. Many of the breweries’ taprooms remain open during the summer months. So you will have plenty of other opportunities to taste the hoppy delights St Philip’s has to offer. Just have a look online at openings before you wander down.
Also, many pubs and stores around Bristol stock a lot of these local breweries’ beers, while The Left Handed Giant also opened its own brewpub in 2019 by Castle Park. Overlooking the harbour, it’s worth checking it out if you’re ever in the centre of town. For more information on the trail, times and the breweries click here.
The East Bristol Brewery Beer Trail
Arbor Ales
181 Easton Road, BS5 0HQ
Dawkins Ales
Unit 2, Lawnwood Rd, BS5 0EF
Wiper & True
Units 11-15, City Business Park, St Jude’s, Bristol BS5 0SP
Left Handed Giant
Unit 3, Wadehurst Industrial Park, St Philips Road, BS2 0JE
Newtown Park
Unit 9, Wadehurst Industrial Park, St Philips Road, BS2 0JE
Good Chemistry
2 William Street, BS2 0RG
Little Martha
Arch 23, Oxford Street, Bristol BS2 0QT
Moor Beer
Days Road, Bristol BS2 0QS